How do I connect a desktop java app to an online database (for dummies)?

Question

Okay, I need some guidance, guys. I'm trying to do a small project that is going to basically create something like "doctor's office software" in which you create a desktop app that can create and manage profiles of people/things. These things would need to be placed from the app into an online db to be accessed from anywhere by signing in on the app. I'm relatively new, and I know it may be ambitious, but I'd like to give it a go. Can you guide me a bit in setting up a web based db for a desktop app? I know nothing about it, basically. I'm programming in java.

Thanks!

Answer 1

Take a look at JDBC drivers, it allows you to connect your app and a DBMS (such as MySQL, Neo4J etc).

Here's a starting point: http://www.mkyong.com/jdbc/how-to-connect-to-mysql-with-jdbc-driver-java/

Note that many DB are not publicly opened by default, so be careful to enable your DB to be accessed from outside. Also, Hibernate ORM offers you a simple and clean way to access data from a relationnal DB http://hibernate.org/orm/